Long story short, here's where I am.
I want to honor the Lord with my clothing.
The road to modesty has been a long, hard, often times ugly journey for me.
Lots of irritation, justifying my need to look cute, or to be comfortable over loving my brothers in Christ.
Funny how as women we were created to help man, to be helpers, and yet oftentimes we help them fall into sin by the way we dress (or hardly dress).
I've spent far too long being a female on a hunt for the loopholes when it comes to modesty.
You know...
The loop holes.
My shorts are long enough usually...
But what about at the gym?
What about when I run?
Surely it's okay to show a lot of leg then, right?
Surely me being hot and comfy trumps the clear teaching in scripture for women to dress modestly...right? please? pretty please?
What about when I'm at the swimming pool?
Then it's okay to wear a bra and panties in front of a bunch of men, right?
Men aren't turned on by women in their bras and panties...I tried really hard to live in that land of la-la.
Surely it's okay to show a little of "the girls" at the pool, right? maybe?
It's the pool. I'm swimming.
Or
It's the road. I'm running.
As if a verb and a location suddenly makes everything scripture says obsolete.
What is wrong with me?
So I have this inner dialogue, that goes something like this...
Why?
Why Heather are you such a sleuth at finding the loop holes?
Why does this really matter to you so much?
Why do you need to show a lot of skin?
Why don't you just be honest with yourself about your motives?
Why don't you just admit that maybe...holy cow...maybe something inside you....something in your soul won't let you "be" when you're pushing the line and flirting with darkness. Maybe that's the Holy Spirit whispering, "choose life...choose life." Maybe Heather...you should listen.
Something in me grabs a hold of my heart and squeezes it.
I feel it.
I know.
And yet I fight and I fight.
Why?
Why over this one area?
Why do I put up my dukes and plant my feet firmly in the ground like I'm about to engage in body combat...over something as silly as clothing?
Why do I forget that God is good, and everything He does and wants is for my good and for His glory...two perfectly wonderful things.
The dukes are coming down, slowly.
I'm learning...slowly...when it comes to clothing...
To consider other people more important than myself (Phil. 2). Somehow, God wants to take this selfish woman and teach me how to consider other people. What work He has cut out for Him!
I'm learning to not only think of my own needs (comfort, looking oh-so-cute) but to also consider the needs of others (to not have to divert their eyes, or fall into sin at the swimming pool). (Phil 2)
I'm learning to pursue purity, instead of constantly seeking the "line."
I'm learning that being at the pool, ready to encourage my friends, meet new women, and love on my kids is more important than sitting at the pool thinking about myself, my body and what others are thinking about my body.
I'm learning to love the thought of being free from focusing on me so much.
I'm learning to obey the Lord, caring less about looking beautiful on the outside (and often times skanky) and instead, growing in godliness and good deeds.
1 Timothy 2:9-10
And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes. For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do.
Did I mention I'm learning this slowly?
So that's where I am...and that brings us here:
Swimsuits.
Did everyone groan?
Once you get past the groaning because you hate thinking of standing in a dressing room, with surround sound mirrors wearing a swimsuit while you're not tan....at...all..... even a little...then you have to move on and groan over not being able to find a swimsuit that isn't too revealing.
Double groan.
side note: Why oh why do the dressing rooms have to be so well lit?
other side note: Fat looks so much better tan. Just sayin'.
In the past, I've had the hardest time finding a modest swimsuit that doesn't make me look like I'm 75.
I want cuteness, modesty and my suit needs to stay put.
Long gone are the days when I could lounge by the pool.
Are you kidding?
4 kids = no lounging
I'm constantly jumping up, bending over, saving someone's life, preventing Hudson from drinking out of every Sonic cup in sight, or jogging around the pool to "have a word" with one of my sons who is giving the life guard an ulcer.
See...I need modesty and my suit super glued to my body.
What a quandary.
What's a girl to do?
A girl needs to check out Lime Ricki.
Is there anything better than getting cute, trendy, well-made, modest swimsuits delivered right to your front door?
No more driving all over town.
You can try on your suit at sundown in your own home (after a margarita, a dose of Benadryl or much prayer).
And, most importantly...
We can be on the other side of town from "the line."
Ah...
My soul breathes easy.
We'll be giving away one of these suits next week and offering a promo code for a discount off your swimsuit.
Get excited!
11 comments:
I'm excited! And so is my hubs!
I love that these suits are so cute and not all "old lady"!
Just wanted to throw this out there:
Modesty is definitely different for everyone. I'm not saying this to justify skankiness, but I'm saying it based on how the Lord has convicted me (and Sherman), and how I want to honor the Lord (and my husband's preference) with what I wear.
Basically, when it comes to swim suits, if I wouldn't wear it outside as normal "day-wear," I won't wear it swimming.
While the suits at LimeRicki are super cute as far as fabric goes, I still wouldn't wear one based on how the Lord has convicted me concerning modesty. I wouldn't wear an everyday shirt that looked like one of their suits, so I can't wear it swimming just because it's a swim suit- albeit a MUCH more modest swim suit than many alternatives, but that doesn't mean it's an end-all of modesty.
Man, I hope I'm not sounding mean or in your face because that's not what I'm trying to portray. I just wanted to say that it's difficult to broadcast something as modest for everyone when it really maybe only modest for some. And girls/ ladies/women should continue following their convictions (and their spouses) concerning their standard of modesty.
That's all! :)
Amen, Rachel...
We should all seek out what our personal convictions are in this area, knowing that modesty is required because scripture says it is, but also knowing that people will have different convictions about what that looks like in real life.
So I guess if these suits meet a woman's definition of modesty (and her husband's) then we can get excited about them.
I will say to other ladies who read Rachel's comments that we have a tendency as women to care more about what other women think than to ask the Lord and our husbands.
Ask the Lord what His idea of modesty is for you and ask your husband. Don't let your convictions be formed by simply listening to other women or wanting to be as (modest, thrifty, etc) as another woman in your life.
May we all continue to ask the Lord to teach our hearts and lead us.
Heather
I'm so excited! I already picked out which swimsuit I want to order :)
Thank you for sharing that, Rachel!
I am shopping for a new swim suit this year since my old suit is way too big. I typically get a longer swim skirt as a bottom, but I noticed that Lime Ricki doesn't offer them in many colors. Did you wear the boy shorts last year, Heather? In the past, when I have tried on boy shorts, they leave a lot of hiney hanging out the back, are these longer than most?
Lime Ricki is sending me the boy shorts to try, but they would have to be pretty long for me to wear them.
Last year I bought my top from Lime Ricki and my swim skirt from Lands End. I LOVED my swim suit and felt so covered up. The skirt is as long as my swim suit cover up (I bought the cover up from Old Navy pictured at the top of the post). So, I loved having a skirt long enough last year. I will more than likely do the same thing this year...cute top from Lime Ricki, my swim skirt from Lands End.
Rom. 14:5 "Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind." This is a great verse to keep in mind.
Heather, I really enjoyed reading about the process you are going through in being convinced in your own mind that you are dressing as the Lord would have you dress... whether that be on the road, in your home or at the pool.
If we are questioning and/or doubting that what we are doing may be offensive to the Lord we should step back and evaluate and pray. Whether that be about what we watch, what we say, what we wear etc.
It is important to keep in mind that we are surrounded and enveloped in the ways of the world and so it is of utmost importance that we make sure our convictions are not just based on being better than what the world does. We must be above reproach. Seeking to be holy as He is holy.
To question ourselves, our motives, our intentions etc. is a very good thing when it comes from a heart that seeks to glorify God in everything.
I just sent this post and the Lime Ricki giveaway post to my home group. I figure if you have to ruin my life and make me give up Wal-Mart, corn-fed meat, fast food, bikinis, and speeding (actually that one was Aaron at hope group in 2003), I might as well pass it on and let you ruin theirs too. :)
I am so thankful for how the Spirit convicts you, inspires you to write, and then convicts the tar of me when I read it, and I love that you can still push me towards godliness from 3 hours away.
Cuteness: Deffinition
A quality of attractiveness usually characterized by (though not limited to) some combination of infant-like physical traits, especially small body size with a disproportionately large head, large eyes, a pleasantly fair, though not necessarily small nose, dimples, and round and softer body features. Infantile personality traits, such as playfulness, fragility, helplessness, curiosity, innocence, affectionate behavior, and a need to be nurtured are also generally considered cute.
Grow up! This obsession with wanting to be cute, "look like like I'm seventy-five," "not look frumpy," is the sinful attitude. Mature adults aren't supposed to be cute. Cuteness is for infants, children. Put away childish things. What are you going to do when you are indeed seventy five? Spend a lot of money and emotional energy trying to look and act fifty or forty? Our children need to see old age and looking old as a good thing. You're not helping
Oh if we could only be as spiritual as you Morag.
Maybe one day!
Heather
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